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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188603">RUBY: The Iron Wolf</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArisenFromNightmares/pseuds/ArisenFromNightmares'>ArisenFromNightmares</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Gen, Genderbending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 22:27:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26188603</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArisenFromNightmares/pseuds/ArisenFromNightmares</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The world of Remnant.</p><p>A world besieged by the creatures of Grimm. Terrible beasts of Shadow whose numbers know no end, and the only saving grace lies in a group of elite men and women known as Hunters. This is the story of four women who come from different walks of life, uniting to battle against the Grimm while searching for answers to their own individual quests while learning to work alongside one amother</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Reign Trailer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Reign Lan Meigul could hear the drops of rain pounding down on the weathered roof of the old church she called home, as one of the “Cursed” she would find no shelter among the townspeople as they had taken great strides in hunting down people with silver eyes to the point where she had been forced to learn to adapt her appearance in order to survive.</p><p>Mostly by way of colored eye contacts and occasionally even changing up her hairstyle, she had also taken to learning martial arts and other forms of self-defense on the off chance that her identity was discovered.</p><p>“Are you sure that you want to do this my child? The path of a Huntress has only one ending, and the children will no doubt be crushed to know that you left without saying goodbye.”</p><p> She would look over to see the preacher standing in the hallway, his aged face dimly illuminated by the wax candle. The man had been the closest thing to a father she had known since her hometown was burned to the ground by those who wished her dead, he had tried to show her that not all people in the world were evil and while not every lesson had stuck with her, her animosity towards people was now more internal. “I’m sure little Violet would at least appreciate one final visit from her big sister, that girl idolizes you Rei.”</p><p>Rei would smile sadly at these words, knowing that the man wasn’t that far off in describing his favorite troublemaker, Violet had recently begun trying to emulate the older woman’s hairstyle and this lead to both girls struggling to learn just how difficult it was to wash blue hair dye out of a little girl’s hair.</p><p>“She’s a strong girl Preacher, I don’t think she’ll break down if I sneak out in the middle of the night.” Rei would take a moment to say one last prayer to the Goddess statue in front of her before standing up and securing her twin lances, Skuld and Hildr to their usual resting places at her back before turning to the Preacher and straightening out her shoulder-length blue hair. “As far as I’m concerned, she’s the “Big Sis” now. We both know I couldn’t stay here for much longer anyhow; the grizzled veterans are starting to get suspicious of my unique eye situation.” The blue-haired Huntress had yet to receive her latest shipment of colored contact lenses and had to resort to wearing her sunglasses whenever she left the church, and it was starting to raise more than a few eyebrows she wore them all at night.</p><p>“If only more people were accepting of someone with your prodigious gift, you’ve been protecting our town from the shadows from the moment you learned to wield your weapons.”</p><p>The preacher had taken a seat in one of the pews and gestured for the silver-eyed girl to sit beside him, the latter reluctantly complying after a while as the two of them looked up at the Goddess statue in a calm silence.</p><p>“My dear girl, you’ve come far since the day you stumbled onto our steps begging for Sanctuary. Your eyes hidden by bandages and you were shaking like a leaf-“ The older-man would stop speaking when he noticed her head starting to slump forward as if she were falling asleep, sighing and smacking the young teen on the back of her head to regain her attention despite the latter’s irritated glare. “I’m trying to give you a heartwarming sendoff and here you are falling asleep like it was a Sunday sermon, it’s that attitude that makes me worry about your safety young lady!”</p><p>Rei would roll her eyes as she sat up straight in the church pew, her back aching in protest as the hard wood provided zero padding and not even her black leather jacket could offer respite from such discomfort. “My safety should be the least of your worries Preacher, we both know this place would be torn to shreds the minute I leave here.” The blue-haired woman would sigh and force herself to be calm as she twiddled her fingers, imagining a tiny fairy dancing from one fingertip to another in a drawn-out dance that only she could see. “Tell me, did you at least put in a request to have a Huntsman come out here and guard the place?”</p><p>The old preacher would sigh and remove the handkerchief from his pocket to dab away the beads of sweat that had begun to form, clearly exasperated from her constant questioning of his preparation. “Yes; and unfortunately, our humble village is considered low priority so the soonest they can send someone out here is two weeks.” He would sigh in lament as he looked to the Goddess statue for guidance yet was rewarded only with silence, but he would still mutter a quiet prayer for the safety of not only the wayward children he cared for, but also the would-be Huntress that was leaving his flock on this rainy night. “You needn’t worry about us Rei; we know well enough not to let fear or anger cloud our way on the path of light.”</p><p>Reign did her best to stifle a groan at the man’s less than subtle display of his faith, it was the one thing that the good preacher was never able to impart to her while growing up, yet she still wore a Goddess Cross around her neck out of respect for him. “It’s not you and the kids I’m worried about Preacher, you’ve been nothing but kind to me since I was a girl.” The sounds of an angry crowd could be heard outside the church door, it was just another sign that she needed to make her retreat from this place before anyone got hurt. “It’s THEM that you should be concerned about, that kind of rabblerousing isn’t good for anyone! The Grimm aren’t exactly known for taking their time in attacking the village!” She would make her way over to one of the stained-glass windows and finding no sign of the horrid creatures skulking about, taking out Hildr and preparing to smash her way out.</p><p>“Don’t you dare Reign, these people need guidance, not violence! Now get upstairs and see to the children, I shall do my best to calm this frightened flock.” The preacher would sigh sadly as he slowly got to his feet, the sight doing little to calm Rei’s already worried heart as she rushed over to the older man’s side only to be waved off and given a rare steely-eyed gaze. “You’re still under my roof, so please do as I say and go upstairs!”</p><p>As much as she wanted to play the defiant teenager, there was no way of arguing against the fact that even she would have trouble fighting her way through a crowd of pissed off villagers. Not to mention what the kids would think of her being a murderer.</p><p>“Be careful old man…” She would sigh and make her way upstairs, less then surprised to see her little doppelganger Violet doing her best to eavesdrop on the situation and greet her with a knowing smirk. “Ya know, if I had been one of those crazies outside the church, you’d be dead by now kiddo.” Rei would ruffle the girl’s still bluish hair before deciding to go door to door to check on the others, grateful that only her precocious little friend was the only one awoken by the noise from outside.</p><p>“What’s going on big sis, is the Preacher doing a special service or something?” The younger girl would be slowly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes even as Rei did her best to gently usher the young orphan back to her room. “Why are you dressed to fight sis, are the Grimm here??” Violet’s cerulean eyes would slowly widen at the prospect of these creatures besieging her home and harming her friends, Rei would place her hand on the younger girl’s and give her a fierce look of determination.</p><p>“C’mon now, we both know that if the Grimm were around that I’d be out there kicking ass. This is just a bunch of angry people not knowing who to vent to, so they’re just lashing at the first thing they see.” The azure-haired woman would sigh as the noise below only seemed to intensify to the point that she could no longer hear the good Preacher speak, this much anger and hatred was the exact situation she dreaded most as there was now very little chance of Grimm not showing up to devastate this village full of narrow-minded goofballs as well as the orphans she’d come to see as family. “Stay here Vi, keep the door locked and don’t open it unless it’s someone you know!”</p><p>The silver-eyed woman would feel the familiar throb of power whenever danger drew near, something that only hastened her descent down the stone stairway onto the main floor only to find the Preacher on the floor unconscious and the mob setting fire to the church while ranting and raving at the top of their lungs.</p><p>“What the fuck are you idiots doing, there are children living in this church! If you really wanna come after me then do it!” Rei would remove her lances from their resting place at her back and assume a fighting stance, the throbbing in her temples rising in response to the hateful mob in front of her. “<em>Sorry Preacher. I know you only gave me these weapons on the condition that I only use them to slay the Grimm, but you and these kids mean too damn much to me to let these monsters walk away with only bruises!” </em></p><p>“I knew there was something wrong with you girly, we’re only here to take out that silver-eyed witch! Now why don’t you do us a solid and take off those fancy glasses of yours, because I have a mighty big hunch about you that I’ve been dying to prove.”</p><p>She recognized the man in front of her as Infer Kell, a man who was once known as a prodigious Huntsman in-training back during his Academy days.</p><p>“Shove it up your ass Kell, like I’d do anything a homicidal washout like you would tell me to do.” Rei would watch as the man hefted a giant battle axe onto his shoulder as he returned her snarky attitude with a wicked smile, no doubt it was the same smile he wore when killing off his own teammates for “not being up to his standards”. “I dunno how you ended up in this place after that rich prick of a father kept you from seeing jail time but trust me, you’re more of a blight then most of the Grimm are!”</p><p>Rei would take a breath and swing her lance once, the sheer force of the Wind Dust imbued inside Skuld would be enough to knock the regular men back, leaving only herself and Kell standing.</p><p>“That’s a mighty fine trick there punk, but it’ll take more than cheap tricks to knock me down!” The older man would let out an angry roar and charge at the younger female who would quickly respond by backstepping and shielding herself with both lances, grunting with effort as she struggled to resist his brute strength. “This is why women belong in the kitchen, you’re too damn soft for the battlefield!”</p><p>“Oh great, he’s a sexist in addition to being a homicidal prick. That’s some fucked up genetic gumbo you have going for you buddy!” Rei would snarl and push back against him with all her might, expending whatever Dust was left inside her lances to make sure he stayed back. “I really don’t care for your type: All brawn, no brains. I thought you were supposed to be some kind of prodigy, or was that just more of daddy’s money talking for you-“ The world around her would suddenly begin to spin as the ground below her seemingly became quicksand, causing her to stumble to one knee as she tried to regain her footing.</p><p>“Having a little trouble there sweetheart? I bet your world’s feeling a little messed up..a little <strong>warped.</strong>” Kell would let out a haughty laugh as he slowly paced around the stumbling woman, watching her like a predator would watch their helpless prey before going in for the kill. “Ahh, brings me back to the good ol’ days, watching my so-called teammates waffle about as they tried to hog all my glory! The Kell name is one of a superior lineage, from a time where actual men did the hunting of those foul creatures, now you’ve got women and those inferior Faunus running about thinking they can contribute to the cause!” The red-haired dropout would start to kick her intermittently while continuing to rant: A bruise here, a lost tooth there, a minor concussion, followed by the snap of a bone.</p><p>“<em>I’m going to die here, just like every other silver-eyed person before me.” </em>Reign would start to chuckle as the smell of smoke and burning wood began to fill up her nostrils, her mind briefly switching to Violet and the rest of the children who were no doubt recognizing the danger they were in as cries of panic began to be heard from upstairs. “<em>I may be “cursed” but these children deserve to live, even in this world riddled with demons and monsters!” </em>The azure-haired woman would cry out in fury as Kell’s boot once again impacted her body, her grip on Skuld and Hildr tightening as she waited for an opening to strike back.</p><p>“You cursed beings, those filthy orphans, none of you belong in this world! You’re no better then those blasted Gimm!” He would ready himself for one final blow, a wicked smile upon his face as he looked down at her. “People like me are the only ones worthy to inhabit this world! Pure. Virtuous! Humanity EVERLASTING!!!”</p><p>She watched on in cold silence as he let loose the kick. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as her body seemed to react on its own, skewering him through the kneecap with Hildr before lashing out and stabbing him through the groin with Hildr. Ensuring that the future would bring no more creatures that bear the name of Kell.</p><p>“If people like you are the pinnacle of humanity, then maybe we all deserve to be devoured by the Grimm.” Rei would let out a painful breath, knowing she had little time to rest and instead struggled to her feet as she went to go see to the fallen preacher, ignoring the anguished cries of pain from the brutality castrated Infer Kell.</p><p> “Come on old man, it’s not time for the Goddess to call your number yet. You’ve still got more lost souls to save, not to mention that the kids are hopelessly lost without you!” She would try her best to rouse the man of faith awake, but he was unresponsive to her pleas despite everything she had been taught about First Aid.</p><p>“<em>You were too good for this world Preacher, all you ever wanted was for us to be good people.” </em>The silver-eyed woman would look back at her downed opponent, still hearing the occasional whimper of agony before a much more terrifying sound would cut through the silence as a chorus of bloodcurdling howls filled the air. “No, not them. Not Now!” She would groan in pain as she got to her feet, rushing upstairs as fast as she could to try and save what was left of her family.</p><p>“Everyone! Get up, we need to get out of here now!!!” Rei would start knocking on each door, frantically repeating her orders even as the children whined about not wanting to wake up, a few had been smart and were already prepared to leave with what little belongings they could carry. “The preacher told me to take you guys out the back, now hurry up and get moving!”</p><p>“Big Sis!” Violet would be busy helping one of the younger boys put on his jacket while doing her best to remain calm despite the chaos unfolding around her, although it was clear by her trembling hands that she was still very much as frightened as the rest of them. “I heard the monsters outside, what are we gonna do?”</p><p>‘You leave the monsters to me kiddo, I need you to keep an eye on the others and make sure no one gets left behind. Imaginary friends included of course.” She would give the younger a playful wink before checking the situation outside, wincing in disgust as the Beowolves were already going to town on the crowd of angry villagers, blood was staining the ground and limbs were being torn away before Rei finally forced herself to turn back and tend to the orphans. “Stay low to the ground and move quickly, eyes on my back at all times, and hold each other’s hands <strong>no matter what!</strong>”</p><p>Reign would quickly move to the front of the line, Violet’s hand immediately clutching hers as they began to make their way downstairs to the back exit of the church. The fire was doing little to help the matter as the smoke obscured the older woman’s vision and stifled her breathing as she did her best to push forward, her free hand smashing aside debris with Skuld even as the others coughed and cried out for their parents, the preacher, and even the Goddess herself to come and save them from this infernal hell they found themselves in.</p><p>“C’mon everyone, we just have to keep moving!” Violet would say this loudly, doing what she could to keep them all moving and focused through the fear and panic. “Reign will never let us down, she’s a hero!”</p><p>The young orphan’s words would cause Reign to blush in embarrassment before finding herself in front of the door and smashing her lance against it, growling in annoyance as the heavy wooden dooer barely budged.</p><p>“Open up you worthless piece of SHIT!!!” She would smash through the door after enhancing Skuld with Burn Dust and exhaling in relief as she cleared what was left so Violet and the others could exit safely, only to find themselves the targets of a pack of hungry beowolves who were now eying them like a gourmand leering over a high class buffet. “Violet. I’m going to count to three, when I get to three..you take the kids and run as fast as you can into the woods and don’t look back.”</p><p>Violet would sob quietly, slowly realizing what she was being asked to do and shaking her head furiously. “No! I won’t leave you sis! I’ll fight with you!” She could feel the younger girl’s grip tightening even as Rei began to let go, her hero seemingly ready to sacrifice herself in order to ensure their survival. “We all will!”</p><p>“Don’t be silly. We both knew that this was the only way things could end for someone like me, after all..we Silver-Eyed are nothing but a blight upon the world after all.” Reign would let go of the younger girl’s hand and charge forth with a warrior cry, slashing away at the creatures of Grimm with all the remaining might she could muster. “Go! Remember everything I taught you and keep moving forward!”</p><p>Those would be the last words Reign Lan Meigul would speak before disappearing into a mass of snarling fangs and vicious claws, before the orphanage she called home burned to the ground, and the world exploded into a flash of white light.</p><p>* * * * *</p><p>“BIG SIS!!!!”</p><p>The azure-haired woman would awaken from her nightmare, finding herself in a room of extravagant objects and luxury. Her head throbbing as she looked around for her usual glass of water and painkillers, finding only an empty space on her nightstand before forcing her eyes to focus and find a slender-framed boy standing over her, a pair of brown and pink eyes looking down at her worriedly as he held what she was looking for in each hand.</p><p>“Thanks Neo, sorry if I woke you.” She would take the painkillers from his hand and swallow them before finally accepting the water from the mute boy’s other hand, who smiled in relief as she did so. “I’m guessing Roma sent you here to come and get me?”</p><p>The young man would nod in reply before stepping back and allowing her to get up from the bed and accept the empty glass with silent thanks before gesturing to the small bundle of clothing that rested upon a nearby chair.</p><p>“They look just like how I remembered them, right down to the stitching.” She would walk over to the chair, gently running her hands over the leather jacket and feeling her eyes begin to fill with tears as she remembered the woman who had originally worn them before seeing the familiar silver chain of a Goddess Cross and gritting her teeth in anger. “This damn thing. I can’t believe Roma would even include this stupid trinket!” The girl would toss the chain away in anger with a snarl before looking at herself in the mirror, her own silver eyes burning with hatred even as Neo frowned sadly.</p><p>“I included this “trinket” so you would remember what brought you here to me.” Roma Torchwick would enter the room with the chain in hand, Neo bowing his head silently as his mistress entered the room and stood behind her frustrated ward. “Besides, I figured you would appreciate the irony.”</p><p>The orange-haired crime boss would slowly let the chain hang loosely, allowing the silver-eyed teen to see that this Goddess was pointed downward: where the original symbolized the woman reaching upward to beseech the heavens for mercy. This one was seemingly trying in vain to halt her descent into the fires of Hell, no doubt the same hell that had once robbed her of everything she held dear.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re right. It’s absolutely perfect for a heretic like me.” The teen would move her hair aside, allowing Roma to place this symbol of defiance around her neck and feeling an odd sense of satisfaction as the imperiled Goddess lay gently against her heart. “I can’t believe I wasted so much time believing in such a heartless bitch. After all, the only thing we can really count on is ourselves.” She would sigh and close her eyes as Roma set about undressing her like she did every morning, Neo seeming not to mind even as the azure-haired girl was stripped naked and instead calmly took hold of the crime boss’s hat.</p><p>“Don’t forget Lady Luck, she’s always around to keep things interesting. After all, she saw fit to give you such glorious endowments.” Roma would coo proudly while running her hands over the younger woman’s ample bust, smiling as she noticed the faintest hint of a blush upon the girl’s cheeks. “Darling you shouldn’t feel embarrassed. Be proud of your gifts, especially since you didn’t have to pay for yours like I did.”</p><p>“But..you’re beautiful Roma, all I see when I look in the mirror is a street rat with a good rack and stupid silver eyes.” The azure-haired girl would lift her arms high, having been slowly dressed in a pearly white pair of panties with a matching bra before watching on quietly as Roma carefully slid a ruby red skirt up her slender legs. “You saved me and the other orphans when you found us walking the roads alone five years ago, I owe you everything!”</p><p>“And you and your friends have been such a marvelous help in my various enterprises, but you and your peepers are meant for more than just being by my side working the casinos.” The older woman would look upon her fully dressed ward with a raised eyebrow, seemingly about to say something else before deciding to work on tying the teen’s hair into braids. “Besides, the Grimm are the biggest hinderance to my operation that I can’t manipulate, blackmail, or throw money at.”</p><p>    The younger woman’s face would become one of cold focus as she realized that the older woman was right, as long as the creatures of Grimm existed then Roma’s grasp could only extend so far without incurring casualties and loss of revenue.</p><p>“You’re my little ace in the hole, once all those nasty Grimm are gone, we’ll rule over everything together.” Roma would place her hands on the girl’s shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze, giggling as the young woman in front of her blushed again. “You’ll be someone so special that people would never dare speak an ill word against you, no more will they refer to you as cursed.”</p><p>Just the thought of being as exalted as her childhood hero was enough to bring a smile to the teen’s face, even as Roma handed her the transcripts, she needed to enter the prestigious Beacon Academy. Her silver eyes skimming over them and stopping on the name that she had been given for her alias, turning away as the tears began to flow freely.</p><p>“I can’t..do you really think I’m worthy of this?” The teen girl would look to both of her caretakers for some sort of sign, and while Neo would only give her a quiet nod of respect, Roma would pull the girl into a gentle hug as she silently sobbed. “What if I’m not good enough, what if I screw up??”</p><p>Roma would sigh and gently stroke the younger woman’s hair, looking at her own reflection as she spoke. “Kiddo, the only way you could screw up now is if you stopped trying.” The woman would take her hat from her mute cohort and smile before looking down into the young woman’s silver eyes. “I taught you everything there is to know about how the world really works, taught you how to fight like a trickster, and now you’re ready to show the world just how a Torchwick gets the job done.”</p><p>Before the moment can truly sink in and lift the young girl’s flagging confidence, they would be interrupted by the sound of shots being fired on the floor of the casino.</p><p>“TORCHWICK!!! You’ve cheated me for the last time you dirty bitch!” The trio would immediately recognize the owner of that gravely voice coming from below them, the shots ringing through the air causing the three of them to tense up in anticipation of a fight. “No one gets away with swindling Hei Xiong! Now come out or we start making your customers into swiss cheese!”</p><p>“Well now, I think we need to remind little Junior just who runs this town.”</p><p>The orange-haired woman would glance down at her cane knowingly before looking to her associates: The mute boy was twirling his umbrella with a vicious grin, as if the chaos unfolding below them was just a game and he was waiting for his turn to go out and play. While the azure-haired woman would simply pop her knuckles and take a calming breath, focusing her body and mind on the beatdown to come.</p><p>“You sure you don’t wanna wait for your weapons to get here kiddo? Ahh who am I kidding, you can wreck house with just your bare hands! You two kids go have some fun, I’ll be down soon.”</p><p>The two of them would nod gleefully before leaping down into the fray, the black-suited henchmen caught off guard as Neo cut one of the men down the middle while the silver-eyed girl straddled another’s neck and snapped it with her thighs before both would leap away from a hail of bullets.</p><p>“What the hell is this bullshit, they’re just fucking kids!” The bearded man would signal for the remainder of his men to open fire, even as the regular customers in the casino kept huddled to the ground. “You don’t even respect me enough to throw your best men at me you frigid bitch!”</p><p>Neo would lash out from the corner of Junior’s eye, literally disarming him while an azure-haired girl broke another man’s arm before taking his shotgun for herself.</p><p>“Now now sweetie, why don’t you put that down before you hurt yourself. After all, you should be wandering around the mall, having sleepovers, and talking about cute boys.” The older man would grin sadistically as he reached into his suit pocket, prepared to end the naïve girl’s life with the weapon he kept hidden on his person. “Hey, why don’t you gimmie the gun and I’ll let you have some candy.”</p><p>She would reply with a quick pull of the trigger, grinning sadistically as her opponent cried out in pain as he fell to one knee. “Appreciate the offer, but I always bring my own.” The silver-eyed girl would reveal a small velvet bag and pop a piece of hard candy into her mouth, the pupils of her eyes becoming cat-like slits as she gave him a malefic grin before leveling the shotgun in his direction again. “I wonder how much of your head I can blow off from this distance, maybe I should just get in close just to make sure I don’t miss!”</p><p><em>“Wh-what the hell was in that candy, she’s like a totally different person!” </em>The man mockingly referred to as “Junior” would give a heavy gulp as he felt the cold steel of a blade gently pressed against his neck, the azure-haired girl would giggle to herself as her finger gently brushed against the trigger of her stolen gun. “A-Alright, I’ll back off. Tell Roma it was just a joke between friends, a little harmless ribbing from one Boss to another!”</p><p>“Oh, is that we’re calling this now: Scaring my customers, shooting up my place of business, it’s all just a little “ribbing between bosses?”” Torchwick would saunter down to meet her two cohorts, calmly relieving the girl of her pilfered weapon and tossing it to an already waiting Neo before leveling her cane at the injured man and smiling. “Excuse me if I don’t appear to be laughing at this splendid little joke of yours, my dear Junior.”</p><p>The bearded man would shake his head knowingly before closing his eyes and appearing to accept his fate, even as Roma scoffed and rolled her eyes in disgust.</p><p>“This little beef of ours is finished. From now on all your territories belong to me. All the money from your businesses gets laundered through me, and you can rest assured I am taking a healthy cut.” The orange-haired woman would laugh quietly as she watched the older man sob quietly, knowing that he was well and truly beaten. And by a woman no less. “Aww cheer up Junior, as far as your men are concerned. You’re still a big shot..they don’t ever have to know that you lick my boots like a good little maggot!”</p><p>The azure-haired girl would watch on gleefully as the bearded man sobbed and began licking her caretaker’s black boot, Neo was busy disposing of the bodies of the dead henchman before looking out at the scared and huddled masses.</p><p>“What’s wrong with you guys, this is a happy place! Eat. Drink. Gamble!” Her silver eyes would watch as the well-dressed men and women muttered amongst themselves before slowly getting to their feet and looking around apprehensively. “Seriously guys, I’m headed off to Beacon tomorrow and I’d rather have my last day here be one full of happy faces.”</p><p>The crowd would mutter amongst themselves once again while occasionally staring and pointing at her, no doubt talking about her eyes.</p><p>“What my little girl says is true, I had planned for the going away party to be something of a private affair. But since we’re all here, we should <strong>all </strong>celebrate such a glorious occasion!” Roma would snap her fingers as the servers quickly began to scurry about, filling up patrons drinking glasses and offering them a choice of cigars or cigarettes. “Look at you; when I first found you, you were a shivering mess of tears and snot. Now you’re fifteen and handling a shotgun like a professional, it’s enough to make me cry.”</p><p> The female crime boss would wipe away a metaphorical tear before taking one of the glasses of alcohol from one of the waiting servers and raising it high, looking around with a piercing gaze as the rest of her guests were quick to follow suit and do the same.</p><p>“A toast! To my dearest Reign, who will no doubt become the greatest Huntress that the world of Remnant will ever come to know!”</p><p>The girl would do her best not to cry as Neo quickly reappeared with a heavy steel case, a pair of lances sitting inside as the mute man gave her a warm smile.</p><p>“<em>I swear to you. I’ll do my best to live us to your legacy, this world will know that we Silver Eyes are the true saviors of this world!”                                                                                                           </em></p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ursula Trailer</h2></a>
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    <p>Ursula Nuwang knew nothing of living a charmed and privileged life.</p><p>Despite being born with beautiful blonde hair that rivaled the most prominent Mistralian supermodels and sporting a figure that those some individuals worked hard to gain using personal trainers, meticulous calorie counting, and unscrupulous surgeries.</p><p>She knew nothing of these luxuries due to her bastard heritage, Ursula was the product of her mother’s drunken dalliance with a foreign Huntsman. It was only through her mother’s overtly religious upbringing that she was able to be born unto existence, although her life was far from a fairy tale.</p><p>“Wake up you filthy urchin, today is a glorious day for our family. Your brother is graduating from the Lower Academy and is no doubt destined for greatness at Haven.” The blonde-haired girl would do her best not to acknowledge her mother’s wasp-like tone as she began to dress herself, not that the woman cared that it was also her graduation day to boot. “I expect you to look presentable, perhaps if we’re lucky then some nobleman’s son may feel fortunate to take you on as his consort. At least you’ll finally be of some use to this family after years of making me feed and clothe you for these past fifteen years!”</p><p>The fair-haired teenager would stay quiet as she heard the harpy’s footsteps getting further and further from her bedroom door before breathing a sigh of relief, looking at herself in the mirror and wondering what kind of man her father was.</p><p>“<em>I wonder just how much of a whore that woman is to just throw herself at him like that? Then again, what kind of moron takes a drunkard to bed without wearing protection?” </em>She would tie her hair back in its usually long ponytail before giving her a reflection a happy smile, to those who didn’t know her it came off as heartwarming and genuine but she knew herself well enough to properly fabricate her emotions. “<em>I should be happy about today; I’m graduating at the top of my class with academic honors. And unlike that little shit-stain of a sibling, I’m actually getting into the Academy on my own merits!” </em></p><p>Ursula looked to the wall where her favorite steel fans lay spread open decoratively, smiling as those same fans were one of the few possessions, she was able to call her own thanks to saving up the money she had earned from “tutoring” her classmates with their combat assignments.</p><p>“<em>It was rough having to deal with constant fights every day, but those idiots insisted that a girl couldn’t possibly be the best without sucking off a teacher.” </em>She would shudder at this thought, the feeling of needing to vomit nearly causing her to run toward the restroom and throw up her meager breakfast for the day. “<em>Joke’s on them because I made them suck the pavement after I kicked their asses. And they can’t rat me out because that means having to admit that they got stomped on by a woman, there’s no way their fragile male egos would let them live down such a travesty!”</em></p><p>She would allow herself to give a small but haughty laugh as she spun in the mirror and marveled at the long white qipao she had bought for this day, feeling especially fond of the gold trim on the back that had cost her just a smidge more Lien .</p><p>“I thought I told you to look presentable, not to upstage me you little harlot!” Ursula was so lost in her childlike exuberance that she had failed to notice her mother had made her way into the room, the glower on the older woman’s dolled up face did little to quell the uglier side of her anger. “Where did you even get the money to afford such a lavish dress? Ugh, on second thought don’t answer that, I don’t need to know what kind of depraved activities you get up to in your personal life.”</p><p>“You’re one to talk about depraved activities, considering that’s how I got here in the first place mommy dearest.” Ursula would lean back just enough to avoid the slap that was coming her way before snatching up her mother’s hand and twisting it behind her back, ignoring the sudden shriek of pain that erupted from the older woman’s mouth. “Don’t. Fucking. Touch me!” Her violet eyes would burn with hatred as she contemplated whether to break it and give her something to really cry about.</p><p>“Ursula! Let go of your mother this instant!” The blonde would gasp and immediately relinquish her hold on the woman and felt her face flush in embarrassment as her stepfather entered the room, her younger brother Shen following close behind him with a knowing grin on her face. “I didn’t teach you the martial arts for you to bully your family, ours is an art of self-defense.”</p><p>She hated watching him tend to her mother’s injured wrist because despite the man’s kindness towards her and all the wisdom in his teachings, he failed to see just how abusive the woman was toward her own progeny.</p><p>“Wow, I didn’t think you had a dress this exquisite sister. You’re definitely bound to turn some heads at the graduation ceremony today, I’m actually kind of jealous.” Shen was the kind of boy that all of the girls in Lower Academy would swoon over: a boyishly cute face with a charming smile, a mysterious aura that drew people to him, an aloof personality that caused even the most skeptic individuals to drop their guard, and raven black hair that was no doubt silky to the touch. “No doubt all eyes will be on you when you take the stage.”</p><p>“Now now Shen darling, today is <strong>your </strong>special day. After all I have no doubt that those from Haven are no doubt primed to recruit you into their ranks this coming semester, after all you’ve received nothing but glowing marks on all your exams this year.” Her mother would sneer proudly while trying to smooth out the cowlick that was now stick up from Shen’s immaculate hairdo, unbeknownst to her that her golden child had only gotten such glowing grades due to his asking for Ursula’s help. “You are truly the only one fit to carry on our family legacy, the best attributes of your father and I lay within you my sweet boy and I have no doubt that you will make me proud today.”</p><p> All the woman’s doting was enough to make the blonde-haired girl gag in disgust, an action that did not go unnoticed by her stepfather who simply responded with a disapproving noise while shaking his head.</p><p>“Sweetheart, please do remember that <strong>both</strong> of our children are graduating today. In fact, our dear Ursula is graduating with honors.” The pride in the older man’s voice caught Ursula off guard, she had not expected him to be so elated towards her own accolades when his own son was the favorite not only of those in the Academy’s higher ranks but those from other Academies who were no doubt hungry for his access to their family’s vast wealth and political connections.</p><p>“She’s worked herself to the bone for this day, I was honestly getting a little worried with all the late nights that you were pulling toward the end. But all that scratching and clawing really paid off, I’m so proud of you dear girl.”</p><p> He would lay a hand upon her slender shoulder and it took all of her strength not to burst into tears of joy at this display of affection from the usually stoic man, looking up to see the same cool expression on his face but the glimmer in his eyes was more than enough to make her heart swell with joy.</p><p><em>“I didn’t think he cared, I thought he was just teaching me out of obligation and for the sake of his personal honor.” </em>Ursula would smile proudly while looking up at him, ignoring the feeling of burning hatred from her mother while her brother simply gave her a thumbs up in approval. “<em>Maybe life isn’t as bad as I’ve been making it out to be this entire time, now I’ll be able to walk with my head held high and accept my honors without shame!”</em></p><p>* * * * *</p><p>The ride to Lower Academy’s stage had been largely uneventful aside from her mother’s continued crowing about Shen’s recruitment toward the ranks of Haven Academy, it amazed Ursula just how fast her mother could turn an announcement into an annoying piece of conversation.</p><p>“<em>I’ve finally made it, after all those long nights. All the memorization. All the needless fights after school have all led to this!” </em></p><p>The blonde-haired girl would watch as her classmates all stepped up to receive not only their certificate of graduation but also their notice of which Academy had decided to take them on as a student in their ranks, for even though all four schools were unified in their goal of vanquishing the Grimm publicly, it was a common rumor that the ruler of each nation wanted their students to be the ones that claimed the ultimate victory and the prestige that came with such a feat.</p><p>“Ursula Nuwang; class Valedictorian of Lower Academy, step forward!” She would step onto the stage and make her way toward the Master, extending her hand and literally taking hold of the future she forged for herself. “It is truly an honor to have someone of your indomitable spirit as my student, I have no doubt that you will go far in this world young lady.”</p><p>The blonde-haired girl would blush deeply as the Master shook her free hand and gestured for her to take the stage, not even minding that from this vantage point she could see her mother’s envious glower and revel in the feeling of superiority.</p><p>“She doesn’t deserve such high honors!”</p><p>“My brother was put in the hospital after she attacked him without provocation!”</p><p>“Bullies don’t deserve anything more than to be made into Grimm chow!”</p><p>The accusations came one after the other, rocking Ursula’s confidence and causing her to gasp audibly as even the parents began to join in on the heckling.</p><p>“What is the meaning of this, what proof do you have that my daughter is capable of such atrocities?” She would watch on in shock as her stepfather stood up to try and defend her, even though in the back of her mind she knew that such actions had been a necessary evil. “I have taught Ursula that our martial arts are only to be used for the preservation of life, she would never attack someone out of anger or malice!”</p><p>Shen would finally step forward, having kept unusually quiet for much of the ceremony as he looked over at his sister knowingly. “I’m sorry father, but these people speak the truth.” The raven-haired young man would frown as he watched the fire of belief in his daughter slowly but surely be snuffed out. “I myself bore witness to one such battle, I could feel only shame as I watched my sister utterly decimate a helpless first year student for simply bumping into her while in the lunch line.”</p><p>The crowd would erupt in a chorus of boos and hisses while Ursula felt her heart drop at her father’s crestfallen expression, no doubt he wished to take back the words of praise he had given her earlier.</p><p>“Is any of what we’ve heard thus far true Miss Nuwang?” The Master would look at her sternly, his muscular arms crossed as he awaited her response, although judging by the cold and unfeeling gleam in his unusually red eyes even he had already made up his mind in terms of judging her guilt. “I’m appalled to learn that one of our brighter students would use such prodigious talents in such a shameful manner, and while I have no intention of stripping you of your certifications, you should know that such accusations will leave a great stain of dishonor towards yourself as well as your family.”</p><p>Whatever happiness she had been feeling previously had been blown aside like scattered leaves upon the wind, leaving her with no choice but to clutch both her diploma as well as the sealed envelope containing her Academy notice and run away from the constant noise and jeers of shame.</p><p>“<em>I can’t believe that Shen would choose now to rat me out, after everything I did in order to make sure Mommy’s Little Favorite passed the test and gain his certification into their precious Haven Academy!” </em>Ursula would find herself sitting alone in the middle of the courtyards that her fellow third years used to pass time during their lunch hour, while she had studied everything she could about the tactics of legendary Hunters past, they were busy laughing and frolicking amongst each other. “<em>I did everything the right way: I studied hard, trained day and night, I even stood up to those who dared to call me unworthy and humbled them like only a warrior could!”</em></p><p>“I told you she’d be here boys; the little mouse always did like it out here amongst the trees.”</p><p>She recognized the voice immediately, belonging to her fellow third-year Corbin Veldt, the sandy-haired young man flanked by his usual trio of flunkies: Colton Beige, Darien Azul, and Kassius Clay.</p><p>“So, trying to run away from all the damage you’ve done around here bitch?!” Corbin would sneer as the blonde instinctively stood up and took a defensive stance, signaling to the others to surround her as the mohawk wearing young man smirked and stepped toward her. “I wouldn’t bother calling for help either, you’re not exactly well-liked now. But then again, I’m sure you’re already used to that, since you’re a whore daughter and all.” His smirk would become sadistic as he reached out to tear off a piece of her qipao, laughing quietly as the fair-haired girl did her best to keep the dress from falling from her body. “What are you knuckleheads waiting for, I got my piece..go get what you’re owed!”</p><p>Ursula could barely comprehend what was happening to her as the three boys took turns tearing away at her qipao while taunting her and even occasionally spitting on her as her mind tried to process a way out.</p><p>“What’sa matter baby, I thought you were supposed to be some kind of combat genius!” Clay would tear a large piece of her qipao away, exposing her slender legs to the rest of the group. “Daaamn, bitch’s got legs for days.”</p><p>“<em>Have to get away, need to get away before they decide to do something crazy!” </em>Her heartbeat quickened as she saw the predatory look in Corbin’s eyes, her hands trembling at whatever horrible thoughts were going through his sick and twisted mind as she looked to the sky for an answer. “<em>Should I really do this, I’ve never been able to handle using <strong>that </strong>without Garuda’s help! But then again, they’re not really giving me much of a choice anymore!”</em></p><p>“Don’t bother looking for your God to come and save you, no one gives a shit about you or your worthless life!” Corbin would deliver a swift kick to her gut, sending the blonde-haired girl to her knees as she struggled to catch her breath. “You should learn to get used to this position you stupid girl, because this is all your good for!”</p><p>Ursula knew that she had no choice but to react after having heard such vile words, she had been publicly shamed in front of the only parent who truly cared for her, stripped of her honor by her liar of a brother, there was no way she would allow herself to be defiled by these three jackals without putting up a fight.</p><p>“I hope you’ve made your peace with whoever’s watching on high, because this is the last time, I allow anyone to hurt me!”</p><p>She could feel the familiar surge of energy coursing through her body, looking up as the skies became naught but a blanket of storm clouds accompanied by the roar of thunder and the occasional flash of lightning.</p><p>“H-hey, what the hell’s going on with the weather? It was sunny a second ago!” Darien Azul would look around nervously as a lightning bolt missed him by a hair, causing him to back away from the blonde-haired girl before yelping in surprise as another bolt narrowly missed him. “Nah the hell with this, you’re on your own man!”</p><p>“Fucking coward, it’s just a little lousy weather!”</p><p>Ursula was one of the few people on Remnant who genuinely hated her Semblance. It was one which allowed her to call upon the forces of nature through the use of powerful wind and electricity, it was a mighty ability to have, but without the aid of her beloved weapon Garuda, it was just an unpredictable flurry of violence.</p><p>“You picked the wrong girl to mess with Corbin. On any other day I would’ve just beat your ass and let you crawl away like the <strong>insect </strong>you are, but you happened to catch me on arguably one of the worst days of my life!” She would let the winds raise her off the ground before finally facing what remained of her attackers with an icy glare, watching Corbin visible flinch as if he were being struck by her anger while Kassius and Colton were quick to fall to their knees and beg for mercy. “Oh, I’m really sorry fellas, but I’m fresh outta mercy! It’s time for Mother Nature to get what she’s owed!”   </p><p>Ursula would finally let go of the apprehension that came with using her Semblance, for once she <strong>wanted</strong> it to run wild and rage. Smiling as the trio tried their best to outrun the lightning bolts that were haranguing them without mercy.</p><p>“Alright! Alright! I’m sorry! Just make it stop!” Corbin would narrowly dodge roll out of the way of a lightning bolt while looking for an escape even as his friends were now sprawled out on the ground, seemingly lifeless. “I swear I’ll never harm another person as long as I live!” He would finally start weeping openly as a harsh wind knocked him off his feet as the disgraced blonde smiled with smug satisfaction.</p><p>Letting herself float gracefully to the ground with a modest bow, she would walk straight up to the source of her torment and look down at him.</p><p>“How does it feel: down on the ground without any chance of escape, while your abuser leers down at you with a smug look on her face?” Her violet eyes would glisten with tears as she spoke, seeing only her own weakness as she looked down at the red-headed moron who had seemingly soiled his fine slacks. “I want you to remember this feeling any time you feel like being an asshole, there just be someone around the corner looking to humble you.”</p><p>With those final words Ursula would turn and walk away slowly, wondering if her parents had bothered to go looking for her, or if Shen had somehow charmed them into leaving without her in order to celebrate his special day as their mother had wanted. “<em>Great, I’m all alone, damn near naked, and probably a public pariah, there’s no way this could possibly get worse!” </em>The blonde-haired teen would look down at the envelope clenched firmly in her hand, realizing that amid everything she had endured that her future was still very much in her hand. “<em>Do I dare tempt fate again?” </em></p><p>With a heavy heart and shaky hands she would carefully open up the envelope, taking one last calming breath before looking at where the next phase in her life would take her…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I feel like I should update the content warnings after this one.<br/>Pretty sure this chapter crosses some lines.</p>
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